A Cozy Mystery site reader asked for me to get a Baseball Theme Mystery Books list together. Unfortunately, I don’t know how Cozy these mysteries are, since I haven’t read any of them. However, they are all set in the world of Baseball.
Baseball Theme Mystery Books:
Donald Bain & “Jessica Fletcher”: Three Strikes and You’re Dead
Tori Carrington: Foul Play
Harlan Coben: The Final Detail (A Myron Bolitar Mystery)
Jen Estes: Cat McDaniel Mystery Series
- Big Leagues ’11
- Curveball ’12
- Double Play ’13
Crabbe Evers: Duffy House Mystery Series
- Murderer’s Row ’91
- Bleeding Dodger Blue ’91
- Murder in Wrigley Field ’91
- Fear in Fenway ’93
- Tigers Burning ’94
“Jessica Fletcher” & Donald Bain: Three Strikes and You’re Dead
Robert Goldsborough: Murder in the Ball Park (A Nero Wolfe Mystery)
Gemma Halliday: Homicide in High Heels (High Heels Mystery Series)
Robert B. Parker: Mortal Stakes (a Spenser mystery)
Robert B. Parker: Double Play
Troy Soos: Mickey Rawlings Mystery Series
- Murder at Fenway Park ’94
- Murder at Ebbets Field ’95
- Murder at Wrigley Field ’96
- Hunting a Detroit Tiger ’97
- The Cincinnati Red Stalkings ’98
- Hanging Curve ’99
- The Tomb that Ruth Built ’14
Rex Stout: This Won’t Kill You (Novella in Three Men Out)
Baseball Theme Mysteries for Children:
David A. Kelly: Ballpark Mystery Series (Age 6-9, Grade 1-4)
John Feinstein: Change Up: Mystery at the World Series (Age 10+, Grade 5+)
If any of you know of some Cozy Mysteries that are set in the Baseball world, please post a comment. Thank you!
♦To access more Cozy Mysteries by Theme click on this link.♦
Patti S. says
Three Strikes and you Are Out by Jessica Fletcher and Donald Bain
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Patti S, thank you so much. (I was having a bit of a problem on this particular theme. I have gotten all of the authors from Cozy Mystery readers who have been so nice in mentioning them.)
Ellen says
There is also the enjoyable Nero Wolfe continuation mystery by Robert Goldsborough, MURDER IN THE BALL PARK. Archie Goodwin and Saul Panzer have ventured into the wilds of northern Manhattan to watch the Giants take on the Dodgers at the Polo Grounds. Robert Goldsborough does a good job writing in the style of Rex Stout. If you like Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin mysteries, you will like this.
Murder in the Ball Park – Wolfe Mysteries
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Ellen, thank you! I just added it to the baseball mysteries theme list.
LaVerne says
When Harlan Coban was first starting as a author he used to have a sports agent as his sleuth. Some of them were based around baseball.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
LaVerne, I remember the Myron Bolitar Mystery Series. I’ll go check and see which of them is based around baseball. Thank you!
Tomi says
Hi Danna. This Baseball Mom loves this topic! I think I have a couple more to add.
–Robert B Parker’s third Spenser for Hire “Mortal Stakes” is about the Boston Red Sox and a bit of blackmail.
–Can’t tell from the description if “Big Leagues”, book 1 in the Cat McDaniel series by Jen Estes, is a cozy though one reviewer labels it as such. Cat is a sportswriter covering the Las Vegas Chips baseball team.
–In the new Homicide in High Heels by Gemma Halliday (released in May) Maddie tries to solve the murder of an MVP’s girlfriend while dealing with a ‘Baseball Wives’ reality series.
–For younger readers there’s the Ballpark Mysteries series (now at #9) by David A Kelly and for middle schoolers there’s Change Up: Mystery at the World Series by John Feinstein.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Tomi, thank you, thank you, thank you! I have just added all of these Baseball Theme mysteries to the list.
Robert says
This Won’t Kill You – Rex Stout (A novella – part of the collection “Three Men Out”). Players are drugged and a player is murdered during the final game of the World Series. This is an original Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin by their creator in his prime.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Robert, thank you so much for adding Rex Stout’s This Won’t Kill You (found in Three Men Out) to this baseball theme!
Tami says
Baseball Cat by Garrison Allen
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Tami, thank you so much for telling me about Garrison Allen’s Baseball Cat. I have added it to the Baseball theme list.
Susan* says
More crime than cozy, but it might help fill out the theme a little. 🙂 : “Double Play” by Robert B. Parker. The story revolves around Joseph Burke, who is hired as bodyguard for Jackie Robinson, the first black Major League player.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Susan*, thank you!
Debbie Rodgers @Exurbanis says
The Kate Henry series by Alison Gordon. Five book series set in Toronto Canada. Starts with Dead Pull Hitter (1988). Find the rest at FantasticFiction
You have a fabulous web-site – thanks so much!!
Erika Hamilton says
I’m a huge fan of both baseball and mystery novels, so combining the two is like hitting a literary home run! There’s something intriguing about solving mysteries against the backdrop of America’s favorite pastime. I’m excited to dive into these baseball-themed mystery books and see how the authors weave suspense into the world of baseball. Thanks for the great book recommendations!